Liquid level gauge



2 Sheets-Shes?I l A. A. LEDOUX LIQUID LEVEL GAUGE Filed Nov. 1, 1953Aprilv 9, 1935.

April 9, 1935. A. A. LEDoux 1,997,002

LIQUID LEVEL GAUGE Filed Nov. l, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ill y' 'IEE-nzkeZ-a 330262 25 y MW Patented Apr. 9, 1935 UNITED STATES# PATENTvoFF-Ici?. i 'f n 1,997,002 LIQUID LEVEL-GAUGE V y Antoinette Ledoux,Worcester, lMass. Application November 1, 1933, SerialtNo. 696,232

/oat from the bottom to the top of any specific tank, and to providelmeans whereby yas thev gauge is being inserted in 'the tank the floatcan be held in a predetermined position so that it can be introducedinto a tank containing oil without any hindrance from the float itselfand then the oat can be released very easily from the outside of thetank and will work automatically thereafter.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 isa sectional view of a tank, shown as half full of oil or other liquid,with a preferred embodiment of this invention applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a correspondingview on enlarged scale of the inside of thegauge, the cover being removed, but showing the float connections;

Fig. 3 is a side View taken in the direction of the arrow 3 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the gauge on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a bottom plan, taken at an angle, as indicated by the arrow 5,of the adjusting feature, and

Fig. 6 is a plan of the float.

Fig. 7 is a detail view of the mounting for the pointer. n

In different States it is either obligatory or customary to have tanksfor road oil and other oils, and in fact other liquids of differentheights. This presents a difficulty in providing a gauge, working on thefloat principle, in which the oat moves from the bottom surface of thetank to the top surface that will work properly when applied to alltanks.

By this invention that difficulty is avoided. The invention is shownasapplied to a tank IU and with this tank is employed a screw plug IIhaving upon it the gauge I2. This gauge as used, is provided with ascale and with a pointer I3 operating on the scale and mounted on ashaft I4. The shaft I4 is provided with a conical end 9 on which ts ahub 8 which carries the pointer I3. The pointer hub is frictionallymounted on the shaft therefore and can'lzvead-v justed by removing `itvand* replacing 'it'. y

On the shaft I4 is a pinion I5 meshing with a vertically reciprocablerack I6, which rack is guided in verticalways- I l, asH usual.` Therackk 5 is provided with an operating rod I8 extending' down from itvthrough an opening in the plugv II. In this opening `is a felt Washer 20vto lpre-l vent the entrance of roil into the gauge.l Below the feltwasher isa bracket 2|' which is secured to the bottom of the plug andvextends straight downwardly tank.

The rod I8 is provided with an adjusting nut 22 and washer operated byturning a bracket 23 to which is pivotally connected a link 24. Thislink 24 is pivotally connected tov an adjustable slide 25 which isprovided with two longitudinal slots 26. Screws 21 pass through theseslots and into a float arm 28 so that the slide 25 canbe loosened andadjusted. The float arm 28 is pivotally mounted at 29 on the bottom ofthe bracket 2|. At its end it is provided with a transverse or integralshaft 30 on which a float 3I is either loosely or xedly mounted.

In the metal of the plug II is a set screw 32 whichrcan be screwed upagainst the rod I8 to n hold it in a fixed position when this isdesired. To insert the device in the tank the screw 32 is first screwedup so as to hold thek arm 28 in a horizontal position when it is finallyput in position. `The parts that are to go into the tank can beintroduced in an obvious way andas the gauge and plug have to be rotatedin order to screw up the parts to a tight position, the float is muchless likely to cause trouble on account of its being held in a xedposition with respect to its supporting bracket 2|. The surging of theoil in the tank will not displace the oat and spoil any adjustment ofthe gauge. When this has been accomplished, the screw 32 can be loosenedfrom outside and the device is ready to work.

The adjustment by means of the screws is'naturally a rather roughadjustment and after the parts are assembled in this way the pointer I3can be removed, or rather the hub 8, from the conical end of the shaft 9and turned slightly in either direction so that the pointer will have afull range from zeroto whatever the opposite number on the scale happensto be.

Before inserting the mechanical parts, it is necessary to nd out theheight of the tank and y the range of operation of the i'loat 3|. Thenthe two screws 2'I can be loosened and the slide 25 adjusted so thatwhen the float moves from the `to substantially the center of Vthebottom to the top of the tank the pointer I3 will move from zero to themark at the other end o1' the scale. This, of course, is done as theparts are placed in the tank and can be done by measurement beforeputting them to the test because, as stated, I have a ner adjustmentthat can be made after the parts are all put in position and the tank isin Working condition.

This constitutes a simple way to make a rough adjustment for tanks .ofdierent .heightsand permits the useof the same gauge on `a1l tanks.

Although I have illustrated and described one form of the invention, Iam aware of the factA that modifications can be made therein by anyperson skilled in the art without departing rom the scope of theinvention as expressed in the claims. Therefore, I do not wish to belimited in this respect, otherwise than, as set iocthrin the claims, butwhat I lclaim isz- 1. In a gauge operating device, the combination. witha reciprocatory operating rod for the gauge, a link pivotallyconnectedthereto, a fixed bracket, a. float arm pivotally connected withthe bracket, aviioat on the arm, an adjustable sli-de` on the naat armarranged to be adjusted in the direction of the length of the arm andpassing over the pivotal point of the float arm, and means forconnecting said link to the adjustable slide, whereby the motion of theoperating rod for the gauge will be controlled by the adjustment of theslide along the float arm.

3. In an operating device for a gauge, the combination of areciprocatory rod for operating the gauge directly, a. bracketadjustable along said rod, a link pivotally connected with thebracket, aslide to which the link is pivotally connected, a. float arm pivoted ata stationary point, said slide being adjustably mounted on the iioat armtov move longitudinally thereon, and a float on the endY of the float..arm, whereby the adjustment of the slide andtherefore the pivotalconnection therewith of the link will adjust the throw of the gauge rod.

4. The combination with a plug adapted to be placed in the opening ofatank, a gaugel carried by the plug andan operating rod for the gauge, ofa felt washer on the inside of the plug for pro tectingv the operatingr'od from the passageof liquid therearound, a set screw` on outside ofthe gauge forengaging thefrod andhoiding' it in fixed position, apivoted float arm having@ float.,

thereon, and means for connecting the operating rod tosaid' yoat arm,whereby the operating rod can be secured in fixed position to hold thenoot arm in a predetermined position while the gaugel

